This year’s winners of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Montreal Protocol Awards have made outstanding contributions in protecting the ozone layer, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving public awareness about environmental issues. The EPA honoured several scientists, federal investigators, international government officials, as well as a pop music artist last week, on the occasion of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

Janos Maté of Greenpeace International is among the “Individual Awardees” honoured, for he “has been a strong voice for the ozone layer and Earth’s atmosphere for nearly 20 years”. The award recognises his work related to:

• SolarChill hydrocarbon coolers: Janos Maté has represented Greenpeace in a partnership of organisations that developed SolarChill hydrocarbon coolers to meet medical needs in remote locations. Using isobutane (R600a) as a refrigerant and cyclopentane as the blown insulation foam, the vaccine cooler are ozone- and climate-friendly. Moreover, they use solar power that renders the SolarChill devices more dependable compared to battery-powered coolers, while they do not contain heavy metals.

• Greenpeace’s ozone layer and global climate campaign

• The Montreal Protocol: Actively participating in meetings of the parties to the Montreal Protocol and related technical and policy events

• Raising awareness of ozone layer depletion: Organising demonstrations in Canada during the 1990s to raise awareness of ozone layer depletion

• Research papers and videos: Writing of research papers and articles and the production of technical videos

• Using natural refrigerants in Summer Sydney Olympics: He has influenced industry sponsors of the 2000 Summer Olympics to use ozone- and climate-friendly natural refrigerant technologies.

Among the awardees, US food retailer, Food Lion was presented with an award in recognistion among other things of it being the first GreenChill partner to pioneer secondary loop refrigeration systems using glycol and/or carbon dioxide (CO₂) in medium temperature and low-temperature systems. The award further recognises the use of cascading CO₂ refrigeration systems by the retailer in three of its stores. 

Next steps

The award ceremony will take place at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. on 23 September 2010.

The US EPA is welcoming nominations for the 2011 U.S. EPA Montreal Protocol Awards until 31 December 2010. To submit a nomination click here.